Critical Manufacturing vs Epicor Advanced MES

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Our analysts compared Critical Manufacturing vs Epicor Advanced MES based on data from our 400+ point analysis of MES Software, user reviews and our own crowdsourced data from our free software selection platform.

Epicor Advanced MES Software Tool

Product Basics

Critical Manufacturing is a cloud-based, modular system enabling discrete manufacturing companies to improve performance and digitize with analytics and configurable tools. A single, integrated window for production data helps users make better-informed decisions.

Its standout features include closed-loop quality management, digital twin and factory automation capabilities. Integrate with an IIoT-enabled workplace to create seamless smart factories. Users can create and implement a baseline at multiple sites to standardize production.
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Epicor Advanced MES uses Industry 4.0 tech to increase efficiency in production and performance. The on-site or cloud-support solution gathers live data automatically from operators and equipment. It removes the need for manual data collection and provides manufacturers with a seamless option for streamlining operations and production efficiency.

Real-time analysis allows users to catch exceptions early, cut down on waste and increase quality. The platform utilizes open connectivity protocol, programmable logic controllers, machine interface units and PC interfaces for added usability.
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$399/Feature, Monthly
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Windows
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Chromebook
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Cloud
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On-Premise
Mobile

Product Assistance

Documentation
In Person
Live Online
Videos
Webinars
Documentation
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Live Online
Videos
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Email
Phone
Chat
FAQ
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Knowledge Base
24/7 Live Support
Email
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Knowledge Base
24/7 Live Support

Product Insights

  • Simplified User Experience: Create functional user interfaces and personalized process views without complex coding. 
  • Flexible Scalability: Scale software requirements according to operational needs. Select a pricing model based on size and growth. 
  • Accessibility: Work from anywhere by connecting to dashboards remotely via any web-based interface. Access documents and enforce processes on mobile devices. 
  • Quick Implementation: Finish server-side installation in minutes. Rollout features, in addition to current infrastructure, without client installation. 
  • Increased Accountability: Log products, components and materials with complete traceability, backward and forward. 
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  • Increased Efficiency: Epicor Advanced MES automates the monitoring of manufacturing processes, reducing manual data entry and errors, leading to a more efficient production line.
  • Real-Time Visibility: Provides instant access to critical production data, enabling managers to make informed decisions quickly and respond to issues before they escalate.
  • Cost Reduction: By optimizing production processes and reducing waste, Epicor Advanced MES helps lower operational costs and improve profit margins.
  • Quality Improvement: Enhances product quality by closely monitoring production standards and automatically flagging deviations, ensuring consistent output that meets customer expectations.
  • Scalability: Adapts to the growing needs of a business, whether it's expanding product lines, increasing production volume, or incorporating new technologies.
  • Compliance Management: Simplifies compliance with industry regulations by providing tools for documentation, audit trails, and quality control, reducing the risk of non-compliance penalties.
  • Enhanced Collaboration: Facilitates better communication and collaboration across departments by providing a centralized platform for sharing production data and insights.
  • Downtime Reduction: Predictive maintenance features help anticipate equipment failures before they occur, minimizing unplanned downtime and keeping production schedules on track.
  • Energy Efficiency: Monitors and analyzes energy usage across operations, identifying opportunities to reduce consumption and lower utility costs.
  • Customizable Reporting: Offers flexible reporting tools that allow businesses to generate tailored reports, providing insights into performance metrics that matter most to them.
  • Improved Customer Satisfaction: By ensuring timely delivery of high-quality products, Epicor Advanced MES helps build trust with customers, leading to stronger relationships and repeat business.
  • Inventory Optimization: Provides accurate, real-time inventory data, helping businesses reduce excess stock, avoid shortages, and manage inventory levels more effectively.
  • Strategic Decision Making: Empowers leaders with comprehensive data analytics and forecasting tools, enabling strategic decisions that drive business growth and competitiveness.
  • Workforce Productivity: Tracks labor performance and identifies areas for improvement, helping to optimize workforce productivity and reduce labor costs.
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  • Factory Management: Track containers and modify material paths. Use the modular system to create checklists with criteria and design reports. 
  • Planning and Scheduling: Create individual schedules to improve people and resource usage. Set multiple weighted parameters to optimize production KPIs. 
  • Visual Insights: Monitor shop floor operations, access historical data and create a digital twin of factory operations with fabLIVE’s 3D visual insights. 
  • Quality Control: Set time and counter-based sampling from configurable contexts. Define exception protocols and use statistical process control for quality improvement. 
  • Visibility Tracking: Set notification alerts for tasks requiring attention. View complete product history and trace task priority changes. 
  • Operations Optimization: Manage order, labor, maintenance, recipe and warehouse workflows simultaneously. Utilize cost absorption for live shopfloor expense control. 
  • Vertical and Horizontal Integration: Integrate IoT with equipment and automations. Implement a baseline standard across plants. Share information with suppliers and customers for a smart supply chain. 
  • Advanced Analysis: Monitor live plant performance metrics and take preemptive measures. Compare preventative analytics and utilize data mining algorithms like time series and decision trees. 
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  • Automated Data Collection: Utilize automated production and process data collected directly from the machines for analysis, reporting and planning. Eliminate manual data collection and drive continuous performance improvement with real-time data. 
  • Energy Optimization: Analyze and monitor energy consumption with the help of load patterns, production needs and live data accessed from browser-based scorecards. 
  • Automatic Alerts: Quicken resolution and response time with automated communication designed for the user’s plant environment. Establish automated alerts and notifications for machine downtime, cycles and abnormalities. 
  • Quality Control: Track cycles and machines 24/7 and automatically reject or accept products. Troubleshoot with SPC and SQC. 
  • Process Monitoring: Optimize resources with real-time insights into process parameters. Improve cost structures, manage machine time and compare cycle times. 
  • Maintenance Management: Use preventive maintenance planning to eliminate scheduled maintenance or unexpected repairs. Track MRO activity and set automated alerts for preventative maintenance. 
  • Real-time Planning: Change production schedules to meet new requirements instantly with visual drag-and-drop scheduling for machines and tools. View updated schedules and automatically adjust for performance. 
  • International Accessibility: Access the platform in 10 different languages via any internet-enabled mobile device or tablet. 
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Product Ranking

#3

among all
MES Software

#37

among all
MES Software

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Analyst Rating Summary

57
68
0
16
76
80
43
77
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Analyst Ratings for Functional Requirements Customize This Data Customize This Data

Critical Manufacturing
Epicor Advanced MES
+ Add Product + Add Product
Mobile Product And Parts Tracking Production Definition And Monitoring Production Dispatch And Execution Quality Management Reports And Dashboards Resources Management 0 76 43 67 43 81 63 16 80 77 81 78 98 76 0 25 50 75 100
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100%
14%
0%
86%
67%
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33%
56%
22%
22%
45%
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55%
70%
10%
20%
71%
0%
29%
86%
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14%
44%
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56%
78%
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22%
86%
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14%
100%
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67%
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33%
78%
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22%

Analyst Ratings for Technical Requirements Customize This Data Customize This Data

83%
0%
17%
25%
17%
58%

User Sentiment Summary

Excellent User Sentiment 27 reviews
Good User Sentiment 198 reviews
98%
of users recommend this product

Critical Manufacturing has a 'excellent' User Satisfaction Rating of 98% when considering 27 user reviews from 1 recognized software review sites.

75%
of users recommend this product

Epicor Advanced MES has a 'good' User Satisfaction Rating of 75% when considering 198 user reviews from 3 recognized software review sites.

n/a
3.7 (73)
4.9 (27)
4.5 (23)
n/a
3.6 (102)

Awards

SelectHub research analysts have evaluated Critical Manufacturing and concluded it earns best-in-class honors for Integration and Extensibility. Critical Manufacturing stands above the rest by achieving an ‘Excellent’ rating as a User Favorite.

User Favorite Award
Integration and Extensibility Award

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Synopsis of User Ratings and Reviews

Flexibility and Adaptability: Critical Manufacturing's platform caters to diverse manufacturing environments and readily adapts to evolving needs, accommodating various production processes and levels of complexity. The system's modular design empowers users to select and implement the specific functionalities that align with their unique requirements, ensuring a tailored solution that optimizes operations.
Data-Driven Insights and Analytics: Critical Manufacturing excels in data acquisition and analysis, equipping manufacturers with comprehensive insights into their production processes. The platform facilitates informed decision-making by offering real-time visibility into key performance indicators (KPIs), production trends, and areas for improvement. Advanced analytics tools empower users to identify patterns, optimize processes, and enhance overall efficiency.
Scalability and Growth: Critical Manufacturing's MES solution is designed to scale alongside businesses as they expand and evolve. The platform's architecture supports seamless integration with additional modules and functionalities, enabling manufacturers to adapt to changing market demands and accommodate growth without compromising performance or stability.
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Reduced Downtime: Real-time equipment monitoring helps identify and address potential issues before they cause downtime, leading to increased productivity and efficiency.
Improved Quality Control: The system's ability to track and trace materials and products throughout the production process helps ensure quality standards are met and reduces the risk of defects or recalls.
Enhanced Visibility: Comprehensive data collection and reporting provide real-time insights into production performance, enabling data-driven decision-making and process optimization.
Increased Efficiency: Automation of manual tasks and streamlined workflows lead to reduced labor costs and improved operational efficiency.
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Usability Challenges: Critical Manufacturing may present a steep learning curve for new users due to its extensive functionalities and complex interface. This complexity can lead to a longer onboarding process and potentially require additional training investments for teams to become proficient.
Customization Complexity: While Critical Manufacturing offers a high degree of customization, implementing and managing these customizations can be technically demanding. Organizations with limited IT resources or those seeking rapid deployment might find this aspect challenging.
Resource Requirements: As a comprehensive MES solution, Critical Manufacturing may necessitate more significant hardware and software resources compared to simpler systems. This could potentially lead to higher upfront costs and ongoing maintenance expenses for organizations.
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Customization Challenges: The system's complexity can make tailoring it to specific workflows or unique production processes a significant undertaking.
Integration Hurdles: Connecting Epicor Advanced MES with existing enterprise systems or shop floor machinery can pose integration challenges, potentially requiring specialized expertise or custom development efforts.
User Interface Complexity: The user interface, while feature-rich, can feel overwhelming for new users due to its extensive functionalities and options, potentially leading to a steeper learning curve.
Resource Requirements: Implementing and maintaining Epicor Advanced MES effectively often necessitates dedicated IT resources and ongoing support, which can be a consideration for organizations with limited IT staff or budgets.
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Critical Manufacturing seems to be a bit of a mixed bag, offering a robust set of features but also coming with some drawbacks that might make you think twice. Users rave about Critical Manufacturing's ease of use, scalability, and flexibility. It's like the Swiss Army knife of manufacturing software – it can handle a wide range of tasks, from production planning and scheduling to quality control and traceability. This makes it a great choice for businesses of all sizes, whether you're a small startup or a large multinational corporation. However, there's a catch – Critical Manufacturing comes with a hefty price tag, and it doesn't always play nicely with other systems. This can be a dealbreaker for some businesses, especially those on a tight budget or with complex IT infrastructures. So, who is Critical Manufacturing best suited for? If you're looking for a powerful and flexible manufacturing software platform and you're willing to pay a premium for it, then Critical Manufacturing is definitely worth considering. It's particularly well-suited for businesses with complex manufacturing processes that require a high degree of control and visibility. However, if you're on a tight budget or you need a system that integrates seamlessly with other software, you might want to look elsewhere.

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Let's dive into the world of manufacturing software and explore what users have to say about Epicor Advanced MES. Epicor Advanced MES has received positive feedback for its ability to enhance efficiency and productivity in manufacturing operations. Users appreciate its user-friendly interface, flexibility to adapt to different needs, and scalability to accommodate growth. The software's comprehensive features, including production planning, scheduling, inventory management, quality control, and traceability, have been highlighted as key strengths. One user noted that Epicor Advanced MES has significantly improved their operational efficiency and cost reduction, making it a valuable asset for their business. Another user praised the software's power and versatility, emphasizing its positive impact on various aspects of their manufacturing processes. The automation of data collection and real-time insights provided by Epicor Advanced MES have been particularly well-received, as they eliminate manual tasks and enable proactive decision-making. Epicor Advanced MES appears to be a suitable choice for manufacturers of all sizes due to its scalability and comprehensive features. Its ability to streamline operations, improve productivity, and reduce costs makes it a valuable tool for businesses seeking to optimize their manufacturing processes.

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